MARION COSTENTIN
Art above © Marion Costentin
Artists 2018 website update: I was born an Aquarius, in France, in 1988. For those of you who have been following me, I am thrilled to announce that my black phase is over and I am embracing color as a means to honor my personal growth and express myself truthfully. Darkness needs not be black. Emotions are beautiful. Memory is fascinating. I am now in a process of exploring and revealing the connections between childhood experiences and the development of the self, using shadow work and my own knowledge of transgenerational & personal trauma to trigger awareness of my own unconscious thoughts and behavioral patterns. I am also writing a collection of poems to complement my visual work and further reveal how, as an adult woman, my personal history continues to affect my life, my relationships as well as my physical and mental health.
“Silent Picture” — Marc Poppcke
This is an interview with Marion Costentin done in 2016. ZO is a convergence of artists and although we may update artists’ information, it is important to us where we all were when we connected and we value and believe that a lot of artistry is timeless. It is a historical chronicle just as much as written language may be to us.
E-Interview by:
WINNIE LUK
1...How would you describe your style? How has your style evolved over time?
MARION: I would describe it as dark, romantic, dramatic – which is also how I would describe myself. At the moment I’m looking at ways to incorporate poetry to my work. Writing has become an integral part of my practice over the last months, allowing me to give a voice to many hidden aspects of my psyche.
2...What has been one of the most difficult aspects of working as an artist? What advice do you have for people experiencing similar difficulties?
MARION: Self-doubt, money troubles, anxiety, depression, to name a few. If you go through these repeatedly and still feel compelled to continue your work, congratulations, you are an artist. But if there is another, less painful way you can help the world, then by all means do that instead.
You made me wish I was butter
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3...What was it that made you decide to pursue art as a career?
“Experiments II”
MARION: I don’t think I ever made a choice. Art was always a part of my life, from an early age I was drawing, making things. If I picture myself in a different career, however interesting it might be, I know I would not reach the levels of fulfillment and joy that art provides for me. It’s impossible to get away from, it always has been.
4...As an artist, what does “success” mean to you? “Creativity”?
MARION: I will consider myself successful when I don’t need a day job to make rent at the end of the month, when my artist insecurity no longer affects my mental health, my work and my personal life, when I am able to look at my work and say “this is me”. Creativity as I experience it is an escape from yourself that draws you further back into yourself.
Experiments I
5...What are you trying to communicate through your art?
MARION: I remember reading something, I think it was from Anaïs Nin, about emotional excess being essential to creativity. I am hyper sensitive and art is my best tool to cope with the overwhelming range of feelings and sensations I go through each day. I understand art as a catalyst for emotion, a means to rid oneself of pain or rid the observer who, experiencing it, is forced to look within, sometimes unwittingly. Artists are narcissists with a purpose far greater than themselves.
6...What is the greatest aspect of working as an artist?
MARION: Art is fun and it’s torture at the same time. It is challenging on many levels. Choosing art as a medium for self-discovery is a brave act of love. It’s a never-ending exploration, when you think you finally have your answers you are ready to start digging deeper.
Marion’s work can be viewed at the following webpages:
Jellyfish Poem
